So you’ve done a declutter and you have a pile of things that you don’t want to just throw away. Perhaps they have some value, or perhaps you simply want to know they are going to a good home. The good news is there are some really straightforward ways to move things on without leaving the house.
Before we get into the options, a word of caution about eBay. Yes, it reaches a huge audience and yes, things do sell. But in our experience it is extremely time-consuming — photographing items, writing descriptions, managing bids, packaging things up and queuing at the post office. For most people going through a declutter or a downsize, time and energy are precious, and eBay simply isn’t the best use of either. We don’t use it and we wouldn’t recommend it unless you have something very specific and valuable that justifies the effort.
So what do we recommend instead?
Olio is a brilliant place to start if your priority is simply knowing that something will be used rather than making money from it. It is a community sharing app where you list items for free and local people come and collect them. It is particularly good for things like half-used toiletries, plants, food, tatty books, and smaller household items that a charity shop might not take. People on Olio are genuinely grateful, collections happen quickly, and it is very satisfying to use.
Gumtree is a good place for larger items that you are giving away or selling (and where you have the time to realise that money if you are looking to sell – things don’t always sell in an instant!). It’s free to list, buyers collect in person, and there is no postage involved at all. It tends to work well for furniture, tools, kitchen equipment and larger household items.
Facebook Marketplace is also well worth using, particularly alongside Gumtree, as it reaches a wide local audience and is very easy to list on. Again, collection only, no packaging or post office trips required. For larger or more unusual items it is always worth listing on both platforms to maximise your chances of a quick sale. Here you can sell or give away too.
The key thing with all of these platforms is not to let the pile sit around waiting. Take a photo, write a brief description, post the information, and get it moving.
Every item that leaves the house is a win — whether you get £20 for it or simply the pleasure of knowing someone else will use it. Remember, you’ve already had the value of the item with the times you have used it and the memories you have made. And if you are downsizing, you might be up against time, and you just need things to leave your home.